Jaguars Mailbag: How Will Trent Baalke Impact the Coaching Search?

Each week during this year's season, Jaguar Report will take Jacksonville Jaguars-related questions from our readers across social media and answer them in a question-and-answer format, giving readers a chance to have their voices heard.

You can submit your questions every week by tweeting them to the Jaguar Report Twitter handle or by submitting them here.

In this week's mailbag, we take a look at the decision to retain Trent Baalke, potential darkhorse candidates, and more.

Q: Is Trent Baalke actually impacting the head coaching search? It seems like they are still getting a ton of interviews set up

A: Yes and no. Outside of Dan Quinn, it doesn't appear any coaches are outright saying "thanks, but no thanks" to the Jaguars interview requests. This isn't overly surprising though because right now, the Jaguars and Raiders are the only teams who can even request interviews. If a coach gets a call from one of these two teams, there isn't much reason to say no and not hear them out at the very least.

With that said, there is a stark difference between accepting an interview for a job and actually wanting the job. Coaches benefit from being interviewed, which needs to be remembered in this case. Whether it is gaining leverage for their current role or for potential jobs that will open up in the coming days or weeks, being considered for a head coach role is a positive for any coach. Baalke's influence and reputation will absolutely impact whether a coach wants to take the job though, no matter how much some try to say otherwise. There are coaches in the league who will simply be advised to not work with Baalke considering his long run of coach turnover and behind the scenes politicking.

So, is he impacting the search? I believe he will, even if it doesn't show yet.

Q: I haven't given up on the idea of an EVP within the Jags. How would you feel about Thomas Dimitroff in that position?

A: I think Thomas Dimitroff was an OK general manager who hit on a few important picks (Julio Jones, namely) and had a franchise quarterback at his disposal for his entire tenure. Add in some good coaching hires in Mike Smith as head coach and eventually Kyle Shanahan as Dan Quinn's offensive coordinator, and a lot went right for the Falcons under Dimitroff. I do not think Dimitroff has enough of a fresh outlook on the league to offer much value to the current set up, though. The Jaguars have gone the retread route at general manager and would simply benefit more from bringing someone younger and hungrier in -- someone who hasn't already failed, even if they don't have the same success as Dimitroff in the past, yet.

Q: Why shouldn't the Jaguars take a WR at No. 1?

A: In terms of positional value, there is nothing wrong with taking a wide receiver at No. 1 overall in a vacuum in my opinion. The issue is, who is that receiver you are taking at No. 1 in this class? There is no Ja'Marr Chase, DeVonta Smith, or Jaylen Waddle. There isn't even a CeeDee Lamb in the mix. There are good receivers such as Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Jameson Williams, but none are true alpha prospects who should be considered with a top overall pick. Wilson struggles vs. press, Olave is nearly maxed out skill-wise, and Williams is a speedster who struggled to get onto the field before this season.

These are all good players, but none are the type of players who should be selected No. 1 overall. Just because receiver is a big need and arguably the biggest need on the roster doesn't mean the Jaguars should just throw value out the window, especially when they will be able to use the No. 33 pick on a receiver who can make a similar impact.

Q: Realistically, what's the best case scenario for how out WR room looks next year? Or hell let's get a best-case scenario for TE room and RB room as well

A: Best case? I will go with this: Sign Christian Kirk in FA, re-sign DJ Chark, draft Jahan Dotson and one more young receiver, and pray Laviska Shenault develops. I know this may not look like much, but the free agent group looks middling at best and the best value would be to find receivers outside of round one unless there is a trade down.

TE? I will go with Dan Arnold, Luke Farrell, and Colorado State's Trey McBride. For running back? That is tough. James Robinson and Travis Etienne recovering will be critical, but the Jaguars will likely need to bring in some fresh blood as well -- which, to me, should be Texas A&M's Isaiah Spiller, who has the burst and vision to make an impact right away if need be.

Q: Thoughts on the linebacker core (in particular Jack) in future seasons? How/will they address it in the off-season?

A: I think they need to add another starting-caliber player. Damien Wilson is a terrific tackler but his range is limited and he is a big detriment to the Jaguars' coverage scheme. Jack could benefit from (another) scheme change that does more to allow him to simply "see ball, hit ball-carrier". Jack didn't play like a starting-caliber linebacker often in 2021, but he clearly is still talented and deserves at least 2022 to show he is still the man for the job. With that said, the Jaguars need another starter opposite of him and they need to trust in the development of Shaquille Quarterman behind Jack and whoever the next linebacker is.

Q: Is there anything to be made from Bevell’s answer to questions about Trevor’s meetings after the Patriots loss?

A: I don't think so. Here is the answer, for reference.

“I don’t think that’s anything that’s new. He does a great job [with communication]. Between myself, [Passing Game Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer] Schotty, and Trevor [Lawrence], I think the communication’s always been really good. It’s always been open. After the game, there’s a lot of things that have gone on, transpired, and there is a level of frustration with some of the things. Everybody’s asking about it, the lack of scoring points, the lack of making plays, and everybody in those moments, they’re searching for answers. We’re all trying to come up with the best answers that we can.”

I don't think there is much to read into there. The quarterback is always going to make his voice heard, and that is no different in this case, even if the quarterback is a rookie passer who is going through a tough season. Lawrence's take on the current direction and standing of the Jaguars is the most important opinion possible, and it isn't surprising for even more conversations to happen when things are going this badly.

Q: If a team like the Panthers get desperate to trade up to 1, what wide receiver would you take at 6?

A: I am split between Jameson Williams and Garrett Wilson. I think Wilson can be a D.J. Moore-type player with further development, but he isn't quite as NFL-ready as I thought earlier in the season -- I think beating press and physical coverage has to be a main point of improvement for him moving forward. Williams, meanwhile, has world-class speed and is arguably even more dynamic than Jaylen Waddle was a year ago, but there has to be some reason that he couldn't get on the field at Ohio State. If Alabama didn't lose so many receivers in recent years, would he be starting this year in general? That is a question that needs to be answered.

Q: How do we parse Neal gaining more and more traction for 1.01 among the Jaguars fanbase while the large amount of draftniks I follow keep giving more and more warnings that he has a lot of developing to do and might not/probably won't be their OT1?

A: I think there will never, ever, ever be a player who is a no-question No. 1 player at their position when it comes to the draft. Trevor Lawrence was questioned pre-draft, and so were Andrew Luck, Joe Burrow, Peyton Manning, etc. I mean, there are even respected analysts out there who had Eli Apple over Jalen Ramsey in 2016. There will always be debates and disagreements when it comes to draft rankings, so I wouldn't put much stock into that. It would be more surprising if there weren't pre-draft questions about Neal.

Q: Which team would be an ideal candidate to trade down with? Are there any?

A: The Panthers (No. 6) and Washington (No. 9) make the most sense to me because neither has their 2022 or long-term quarterback answer on the roster. There are no quarterbacks in this class who are worth trading up to No. 1 overall for, but if there are any teams that actually would make the move, I think those are the only two franchises who are desperate enough to consider it.

Q: Why does Shad Khan seem to want to keep Trent Baalke?

A: This isn't me reporting anything and is simply just my opinion: I think Khan feels like he has to be fair and loyal to Baalke because of how much of a clueless disaster Urban Meyer was. Meyer was Khan's hire and in many ways was likely forced upon Baalke. Just knowing how Khan operates in terms of patience and loyalty, it wouldn't shock me to see his reasoning be that he thinks Baalke deserves a chance to build the Jaguars his own way after the Jaguars and Khan didn't give him that chance last year.

Q: What is your stance on the clown movement? Jax media seems split. Would like to know your thoughts on our frustration.

A: I personally don't see it as a means to insult Khan like some do. I think it is simply the newest and most united path fans have to express their frustrations to Khan and the Jaguars because everything else they have tried to do to get Khan's attention has failed. Jaguars fans deserve a winning team and have been sold on false hope and misled far, far too many times, so nobody can blame them for being fed up with the current direction of the team. If you are a loyal fan who spends your hard-earned money on one of the least successful franchises in pro sports, you deserve the chance to express yourself.

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